Two men who crossed the Border into Scotland on a “hunting expedition” for foxes or badgers have escaped a ban on keeping or owning dogs.
Sheriff Kenneth Ross at Dumfries told Ryan Lowe and Brian Sanderson that they were obviously now very well aware that type of hunting was highly illegal.
And he also rejected a motion to forfeit the four Lutcher type dogs and terrier that had been with them on farmland near Langholm.
But the Sheriff did order the forfeiture of a quantity of electronic equipment, said to be worth around £800.
The two men were appearing for sentence following a three-day trial in which they were found guilty of deliberately hunting foxes or badgers at Effgill at Westerkirk last May.
They were also found guilty of being in possession of items capable of being used for an offence contrary to the Protection of Badgers Act – the electronic equipment, dogs, two spades and two walkie-talkies.
Lowe, 30, of Baird Road, Harraby, Carlisle, was made the subject of a community payback order with a condition that he carry out 180 hours unpaid work, while the case against 40-year-old Brian Sanderson, of West Lane, Shap, was continued for three weeks to allow him to produce £1,000 to the court in which case the van worth £2,500 in which they had travelled north, would not be confiscated.
I’d like to see a little more imagination when sentencing these creeps, for instance when doing ‘community payback’ perhaps a bright pink jacket (in direct contradiction to the ‘I’m a big tough hunter’ illusion) and with the words (in neon) on the back ANIMAL ABUSER for all to see. Works for me !
NOT AWARE this type of hunting is illegal, what a load of rubbish, of course this scum and they should have been banned for ever keeping dogs again and also thrown in prison and made to do the worst jobs possible. Community service is OK but it should have been for at least 3 years and they should be made to do the hardest and dirtiest jobs there are to do.